The Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) hosted a gong-beating ceremony on January 31, marking the first trading session of the Vietnamese stock market in Spring 2023. In her opening speech, Vu Thi Chan Phuong, chairwoman of the State Securities Commission (SSC), emphasised that 2022 marked a challenging year for the Vietnamese economy due to a range of internal and external factors. However, the national economy was able to record a series of impressive results, with GDP growth rate increasing by 8.02% and inflation kept in check, she said. Moving into 2023, she said the global economic and political landscape is anticipated to record plenty of complicated and unpredictable developments, and in such a context the securities sector will continue to fine-tune the legal framework and formulate policies in line with the actual development of the stock market. Phuong underlined the necessity of accelerating restructuring and swiftly putting the stock trading system … [Read more...] about First Spring 2023 trading session of stock market opens
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Thailand to open more smart piers
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand is set to open three new “smart” piers on the Chao Phraya River this year to help reduce traffic problems and offer improved transport links between road, rail, and river. The Rama VII Pier, Tha Tian Pier, and Kiakkai Pier will be upgraded to become smart piers this year, deputy spokeswoman of the Thai Government Tipanan Sirichana said on January 30. The government planned to upgrade 29 piers into smart ones by 2025, at a cost of about 942 million THB (28.77 million USD). They will be equipped with real-time displays to inform commuters of boat arrival times. The facilities will also have free WiFi and mobile-phone charging stations, with a design that offers support for wheelchair users. The smart piers will have a landmark-worthy aesthetic and will connect to other transport platforms, she said, adding that they will also accept digital payments, including prepaid cards and mobile payments. Six smart piers at Sathon, Memorial Bridge … [Read more...] about Thailand to open more smart piers
Hanoi ranked 5th among safest cities in Southeast Asia
Hanoi’s safety index is 62 on scale of 100 points. Statistics site Numbeo recently ranked Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) fifth and 14th in the safety index among 20 cities in Southeast Asia, respectively. According to Numbeo's latest report, Hanoi's safety index is 62. The safety index of the southern Vietnamese metropolis was 47.4 points, as, according to the site, walking alone at night in HCMC "has a low level of safety". Numbeo is the world's largest database of user-contributed data on cities and countries around the world. It specializes in assessing the quality of life in the world's cities, including their safety rankings. The site calls itself the world's largest database on housing, crime, healthcare, traffic and cost of living in hundreds of cities. Foreign tourists on Hanoi’s street. Photo: Ho Ha/The Hanoi Times Numbeo defined safety as "safety walking alone in daylight" and "safety walking alone at night". It measured the level of … [Read more...] about Hanoi ranked 5th among safest cities in Southeast Asia
Hanoi to host 3rd Int’l Experimental Theater Festival next month
Around 60 plays by artists from over 20 countries have registered to take part in the 3 rd International Experimental Theater Festival, which will be held from November 12-19 in Hanoi. Among the entries, 23 plays by artists from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Singapore, Hungary, Germany, France and Vietnam, among others have been selected to perform at the festival, which is co-organized by the Vietnam Stage Artists Association and the Performing Art Bureau (under Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism). The event provides an opportunity for domestic and international artists to exchange experiences and raise the level of expertise and artistic quality, said Meritorious Artist Le Chuc, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association at a press conference on October 25 in Hanoi. Meritorious Artist Le Chuc, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, speaking at the press conference on October 23. Photo: sankhau.com.vn It … [Read more...] about Hanoi to host 3rd Int’l Experimental Theater Festival next month
“Golden girl” of Vietnam’s Xiangqi
We met Lam, a calm and brave girl with confident eyes, when she was back in Vietnam from the 17th World Chinese chess (Xiangqi) Championship in Malaysia. At the competition, Lam bagged the gold medal in the girls' U16 standard Chinese chess. “I am really happy to bring home the second gold medal in the global arena. Previously, at the World Xiangqi Championship in Canada, I grabbed the gold medal in the girls' U12 standard category. The prizes serve as motivation for me to train hard and achieve higher results in the coming time,” Lam shared. Together with two world gold medals, Lam pocketed many gold medals at the Asian Youth Xiangqi Championships, national championships and other tournaments. Attentively, in 2018, at the Asian Open Youth Xiangqi Championship, Lam won a hat-trick of gold medals in the standard, rapid, and blitz categories for U10 girls. For six consecutive years, she has claimed gold medals at the national youth chess championships. Lam’s love for Xiangqi was … [Read more...] about “Golden girl” of Vietnam’s Xiangqi
PM wants Mekong Delta expressways tripled in length by 2026
"We have to be determined to improve the traffic infrastructure in the region within this government term [2021-2026], especially the expressway system," the prime minister said when meeting with authorities in the Mekong Delta. Between now and 2026, the region should build an additional 463 kilometers of expressways, he said. As per a master plan for traffic infrastructure development, the region is set to have six expressways measuring 1,166 kilometers long in total. They are to be funded by either state funds or via the public-private partnership format. Until now, only four expressways have been completed, running a combined total of 171 kilometers in length. The delta now has eight expressway projects that are either under construction or still waiting for investment procedures to be completed. The eight projects will cost a total VND94.4 trillion (US$4 billion). PM Chinh ordered that related agencies and localities where the projects go through must speed up work so … [Read more...] about PM wants Mekong Delta expressways tripled in length by 2026
Tennis: Vietnam against Indonesia for Davis Cup World Group II berth
Ly Hoang Nam and his team will play against Indonesia for Davis Cup World Group II berth. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – According to the Vietnam Tennis Federation (VTF), Vietnam will play Indonesia in the 2023 Davis Cup World Group II Play-offs on February 4-5 at the Hanaka Paris Ocean Park in the northern province of Bac Ninh. No. 68 Vietnam features national top player Ly Hoang Nam, Le Quoc Khanh, Pham Minh Tuan, Nguyen Van Phuong and Nguyen Dac Tien. Among them, Nam shoulders a heavy task as he is the highest-placed, at No. 247 in single rankings and No. 944 in doubles. Players will compete in five matches. Two singles will be held in the first day while one single and two doubles are on the next day. The winners of the three matches will advance to the main round of Group II in September while the losers will be dropped to the Group III Asia-Oceania competition. Meanwhile, world No. 62 Indonesia will feature its player Christopher Rungkat. The 33-year-old was ranked … [Read more...] about Tennis: Vietnam against Indonesia for Davis Cup World Group II berth
Good deed of officers of the Vietnam People’s Army
Earlier on the evening of January 28, while having dinner with his colleagues at a street restaurant on Hong Ha Street, Coc Le ward, Lao Cai city after finishing their missions, Major Phung Van Yen found a wallet with many important papers and some cash inside. After picking up the wallet, the officer informed everyone present in the restaurant but no one claimed it. After that, Major Phung Van Yen posted the wallet-related information on his Zalo account to find the owner. On the morning of January 29, Le Viet Hung in Kim Tan ward, Lao Cai city, contacted Major Phung Van Yen to get his lost property back. According to Hung, he lost the wallet when having dinner at the restaurant. Hung was worried since there were many important identification documents in the wallet. Through his friends, Hung knew that Major Yen found the wallet and was looking for its owner, so he contacted the officer to get the property back. “I was very happy and moved. I would like to thank Major Yen and … [Read more...] about Good deed of officers of the Vietnam People’s Army